Flexible fastening device and means for operating the same



Nov. 20,1928. "1,691,999

N STATH'AM FLEXIBLE FASTENING DEVICE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.

Filed Jan. 31, 1925 13. 59 &

M :INVENTOR w/im ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, T1928.

uNiTEo STATES PATENT OFFICE}.

NOEL STATHAM, F IRVINGTON -UFON-fiUlJSON, NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE FASTENING DEVICE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.

Application filed January 31, 1925'. Serial No. 5,910.

My present invention relates to flexible .fastening devicessuch as areintended, for example, toclose the seams of shoes, corsets, dresses andother garments, and the openings of bags, pouchesand other'devices, andaims to devisemeans of the general character specified above which aresimple in construction, easy and convenient to fabricate and toassemble, convenient in operation, and quite economical, so that theymay be a'pphed very widely for the designated purpose.

"In the accompanying specification I' shall describe, and'in the annexeddrawing show, several illustrative embodiments of the presthe key oroperating member shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, certain of thefastening members beingshown in position withm said key closing andopening the flexible fastener member; i v

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along line 33 of Fig. 2of the drawing, further illustrating the key or operating member shownin Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing;

Fig. 4 is an enlargedcross-sectional view taken along line H of Fig. 1of the. drawing, showing two complementary fasteners on thecorresponding fastener tapes ,in inter lockedor closed position; and aFig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, taken along, line 55 of Fig. 1of'the drawing,

59 showing a pair of cooperating fasteners mounted onthe correspondingfastener tapes in unlocked or open position,the key portions beingomitted to make the showing clearer;

' ent' invention. It is, however, to be clearly v along line 2-2 of Fig.3 of the drawing, of

' or operating member to indicate the mode of s operation of the key orfastening member for 6 is a longitudinal sectional View; similar to Fig.2 of the drawing, taken along line 6-(rof Fig. 7 "of the drawing,showing a modified form of key or operating member which may be used inconnection with the type of flexible fastener illustrated in. Figs. 1, 4and 5 of the drawing; and

- Fig. 7 is a top plan view further illustrating the modified form ofkey or operating member illustrated in Fig. 6 of the, drawing;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of flexible fastener;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view illustrating the arrangementofcooperating fasteners embodied inthe flexible fastener illustrated inFig. 8 0f the drawing;

Fig. 10 is .a longitudinal sectional View,

similanto Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawing, taken along line 101l) of Fig.11 of the drawing,

showing a further modified form of key or operating member which may beised in connection with the type of flexible fastener i1- lustra'ted inFigs. 8 and 9 of the drawing;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional View,

taken alonggline 1111 of Fig. 10 of the drawing, further illustratingthe modified form of key'or operating member illustrated in Fig. 10 ofthe drawing;

Fi 12 is a detailed cross sectional view of the tied form of key oroperating member illus trated in Fig s. 10 and 11 of the drawing andtaken along line 12-12 of Fig. 11 of the drawing; and

taken along line 13-13 of drawing, showing in detailedcr'oss sectionalview the tongue or spreading member forming a part of the key oroperating member illustrated in"Fig. 12 of the drawing.

Referring now more particularly to the x embodiment of the inventionillustrated in ngue or spreading member of the modi- Fig.13 is a Viewsimilar to Fig. 12, but: Fig. 11 of the Figs. 1 2, 3, 4 and 5 of thedrawing, the flexible fastener therein illustrated and generallydesignated by reference character 10 is preferably made up of ap'lrality' of flfizibile supporting members 11 and'12 carrying thecooperating sets of fasteners 13and'14, respectively. A

From one point of view the tapes '11 and 12 carrying the respectivegroups of cooperating fasteners 13 and 14 are substantially identical,and in fact from the manufacturing point of view are identical, sincethe one fastener in interlocked or engaged position, thereby tapecarrying its set of fasteners corresponds closing the seam of thegarment or other doto the other fastener-tape carrying its set of vice,with which the flexible fasteners of the -fasteners with the soledifference that the presentinvention are intended to be employed,

tapes and theircorresponding fasteners are I may provide torsionorequivalent means opposed to each other in identical form excepttending to cause such fasteners to become and for displacement by'aspace corresponding remain interlocked or engaged until disento thespace occupied by one of the fasteners. gaged by the operation of thekey or operating That is, the tape 11, for example, carries a setmembersubsequently described. For this of fasteners 13 alternately comprisingleft purpose I prefer to so arrange the fasteners and right handfasteners and 16, respec- 15, 16, 15' and 16' upon their respectivesuptively, while the corresponding tape 12 carporting tapes 11 and 12that when the fastenries the fasteners 14 comprising alternately ers arein the interlocked. or engaged position versed or right hand, position.

the right and left hand fastener-S15 and 16', illustrated in F ig.respectively. Similarly, the fasteners 15, 16, maintained in suchposition by a slight tor-' 15 and 16 are all identical and may be madesional or equivalent force brought about by from a single die in asingle stamping or the engagement of the lip members 21 form equivalentoperation, differing from each ing a part of the beaded or attachingportions other merely in their respective positions on 17 on therespective tape portions 11 and 12, the supporting tapes Hand 12 whenthe latwhich torsional or equivalent force is conter are in assembledrelation and from their siderably increased when the fasteners are beingin upright or inverted position, dependoperated into disengaged or openposition ing on which of the fasteners are considered: shown in Fig. 5of thedrawing. This into be in upright or left hand, and which inrecrease in the torsional or equivalent force is 7 brought about by theincreased distortion of The arrangement of the cooperating fastenthesupporting tapes 11 and 12 out of theirv ers is fully illustrated inFigs. 4 and 5 of the normally flat positions by the engagement of Ydrawing. While not limited thereto, I prefer the lip portions 21 withsuch tapes as'clearly that the fasteners shall be attached to theirshown in Fig T5 of the drawing, as well as by respective supportingtapes in the following the torsional force exerted on or by the cordmanner: The tapes 11 and-l2 are preferably or cable preferablyconstituting a part of the provided with the beaded edges 11' and, 12,beaded edge of each of the supporting tapes respectively. Forcooperation with such11 or 12, I many i tan 1 r f rto u beaded edges thefasteners 15, 16, 15' and 16 a wire cable to form part of such beadededge are provided with the beaded portions 17 to produce the desiredtorsional eifect.

adapted to fit over the beaded edges of the In orderto operate thecooperating tape corresponding supporting tapes. The ea members carryingthe cooperating sets of fased portions 17 of the fasteners rovide attenrs into and out of closed position, I protaching means for attaching thefasteners to vide a suitable key or operating member genthecorresponding supporting tapes. erally designated by reference character30 The fasteners 15, 16, 15 and 16', in addition and preferablycomprising in the present into the-beaded or equivalent attachingportions stance a housing 31 comprising thetwo face 17 already referredto, preferably comprise walls 32 and 33, and the slotted endwalls 34 thehook or locking portions 18, which are and 35, through which the tapes11 and 12 preferably integral with and form extensions pass, togetherwith the enclosed wedgeof the beaded or other attaching-portions 17shaped member 36, all defining between them For this purpose eachinterlocking or hoolrthe more or less arcuate channels 37 and 38 portion18 may comprise the main or shank which meet in the opening 39. Attachedto portion 19 and the hook 20, all as clearly illusor forming a part ofthe wedge-shaped memtrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. It ber 36 isa wedge-shaped member comprising will be noted, as will readily appearfrom an a web portion 40 carrying the flanged porinspection of Figs. 4and 5 of the'drawing, tions 41 and 42 which extend'both above and thatthe hooks 20 of successive fasteners on below the plane of the webportion 40, as the same tape alternately point in opposite dishown moreclearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing, rections and that the hook portions ofcorreand which extend above the upper edge 40 spending fasteners on thecooperating supof the web portion 40, all as shown more porting tapeslikewise point in opposite diclearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Theflange rections so as to'enable the hook portions of members 41 and 42terminate above the lower corresponding fasteners as carried by the 00-point of the web member 40 so as to provide operating supporting tapesto interlock under the openings or breaks 43 and 44 to one side theconditions described in greater detail and similar breaks tothe otherside of the hereinafter. plane of the web portion 40. At 45 I have inFor the purpose of causing the cooperating dicated a transversewedge-shaped member fasteners carried by the cooperating supportwhich ispreferably taperedor pointed, as ing tape members to normally tend toremain shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing,

so as to be capable of entering between the the right and to the left,respectively. This cooperating hook portions 20 of cooperatlng willtherefore cause the hook portions of the fasteners in the act ofoperating the flexible last-mentioned pair of cooperating fastenersfastener into open position. a to enter within the channels on theopposite The operation of the device described sides and also on theopposite faces of the web above will be substantially clear from theportion 30. Otherwise, the operation of the foregoing description andmay be briefly key or operating member 36 in opening the summarized asollowsyAssuming" that the next lower pair ofcooperating fasteners isflexible fastener comprising the aforesaid the same as that describedfor the first pair illustrative embodiment of the present invenoffasteners described above. The continued tion is in the closed positionindicated by operation of the key or fastener in downthe lower portionof Fig. 1 of the drawing, ward direction as shown in Fig. 1 of thc andthat it is desired to operate such fastener drawing continues to openone pair of fasinto open position, the key or operating memt'eners afteranother, the hook portions of sucber 30 is thereupon, for this purpose,moved ceeding pairsof fasteners pointing in oppodownwardly in theposition shown in Fig. 1 site directions but the manner of their operaofthe drawing. This causes the pointed or tion into open position beingsubstantially tapered transverse wedge-shaped member 45 the. same exceptfor the one difference of dito enter into the space 8 between thecooperrection already noted.

ating fasteners and thus ,to disengage the In operating the flexiblefastener 10 into hooks 20 of such coopera'ting fasteners from closedposition, the reverse series ofoperaeach other from the position shownin Fig. 4:: tions already described for opening the fasof the'drawinginto the position shown in tener is followed. That is; the key or op-Fig. 5 of the drawing. The further operacrating member '30 is movedupwardly along tion of the key or operating member 30 downthe flexiblefastener 10 in the position shown. wardly in the position shown in Fig.1 of the in Fig. 1 of the drawing, this movement, by

' drawing bringsabout the further separation reason of the guidanceafforded by the wedgeof the hooks 20 of the cooperating fasteners shapedmember 36 and the web portion 40 by the further penetration of thetapering or and associated flanges 41 and 42 and the pointed transversewedge-shaped member 45 associated transverse wedge member 45, to-- 9into the spaces. gether with the breaks or interruptions 43 Thereuponone of the hooks 20 of one ofiand 44 in the flanges 41 and 42,respectively, the cooperating fasteners rides in the channel guiding thedisengaged fasteners from the 46 defined between the flange portion 41and open position shown in Fig. 5 of the: drawing the wedge-shapedmember 36 of the key or" into the closed position shown in Fig. 4 ofoperating member 30, for example, and the drawing. Pair after pair offasteners finally passes out through the break or openis closed by thisoperation, the closing action ing 44 on one side of the web portion 40,while being facilitated by the torsional or equivathe other hook 20 ofthe remaining cooperatlent force under which the tapes are placed ingfastener rides in the channel on the other when in the position shown inFig. 5 of the 10:: side of the web 30 defined between the flange drawingunder the action of the key or op portion .42 and the wedge-shapedmember 36 crating member 30 as it approaches the posiof the key oroperating member 30, until it tion for closing a particular pair offasteners. passes out through the break or opening 43 Referring now moreparticularly to the on the lower side of'the Web portion 40, asillustrative embodiment of the invention 11o shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. Meanwhile, shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of. the drawing, the therespective flange portions 41 and 42 have key or operating member thereshown and been engaged within the bends of the hook generally designatedby reference character portions 20 of the cooperating fasteners, as 50comprises the face walls 51 and 52 and will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art the end walls 53 and '54 providing the slots to whichthe present invention relates. 55 and 55 through which pass the tapes 11As the key or operating member 30 continand 12 carrying the fasteners.The members ues its downward movementalong the flex- 51, 52, 53 and 54are preferably held together ible fastener 10 in the position indicatedin and carried by a wedge-shaped member 56, as Fig. 1 of the drawing, itenters the space 8 by being soldered thereto. The wedge-shaped has ofthe next lower pair of cooperating fastenmember 56 carries the webportion 57 which ers and opens these in the manner already isapproximately wedge-shaped, the web pordescribed for the first pair ofcooperating tion 57 in turn carrying the flange members fasteners as setforth in detail above. The 58. There are thus defined between the onlydifference is that whereas in the case of wedge-shaped member 56 and theflange porthe first pair of cooperating fasteners detions 58, whichflange portions preferably exscribed above the hook .portions 20 of thetend on each side above and belbw the web same, polnt, for example, tothe left and to portion 57, a plurality of, here shown as four, theright, the hook portions 20 of the next channels 59, two on one side,one on each side lower pair of cooperating fasteners point to of thewedge-shaped member 56, and two on no the other side, likewise one oneach side of the wedge-shapedmember 56, of the web portion 57. Thechannels 59 on each side of the key or operating member 50 thesubstantially arcuate channels 61 and 62 which meet in the commonopening 63, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawing- The key oropcrating member 50 thus described is preferably provided with aplurality, herein shown as four, ridges or elevated portions 64,onepreferably in each corner at the junction between the face walls 51and 52 and the end walls 53 and 54, respectively. The purpose of theseridges is, in the act of operating the flexible fastener 10 of thepresent invention into open position, to be brought to bear down, by asort of cam action, upon the lips or extensions 21 of each fastener. Inthe case of a particular pair of cooperating fasteners which it isdesired to operate into open position, a pair of diametrically oppositecams or ridges 64 will be brought into play for this purpose. For thenext lower pair of cooperating fasteners the remaining pair ofdiametrically opposite cams or ridges 64 is brought into play foropening the last-mentioned pair of cooperating fasteners, and so on,each succeeding pair of cooperating fasteners being brought into openposition by alternate diagonally disposed pairs of the cams or ridges64.

The-mode of operating the key or operating member 50 for the purpose ofopening the flexible fastener 10 of the present invention has alreadybeen described wit-h suflicient detail above. In operating the flexiblefastener 10'into closed position from the open position shown in Fig. 5to the closed position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the key oroperating member 50 is now moved upwardly instead of downwardly in theposition shown-in Fig. l of the drawing. This brings about the reverseoperation already described for the operation of the flexible fastenerinto open position. The action of the key or operating member 50 toclose the fasteners is facilitated by the torsional or equivalent forcewhich is exerted by the fasteners on their respective supporting tapesby the engagement of the respectivecams or. ridges 64 with the raisedlips or beads 21 of the fasteners as the key or operating member 50approaches the position for closing each fastener. Otherwise, theconstruction and mode of operation of the flexible fastener embodyingthis type of operating member is the same as for the flexible fasteneralready described above in connection with the description of Figs. 2,3, 4 and 5 of the drawing.

Referring now.more"particularly to the illustrative embodiment of theinvention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, the flexible fastenertape there shown and generally designated by reference character 10. ispreferably made up of a plurality of sup porting members 11 and 12carrylng the cooperating sets of fasteners 13 and 14', respectively.

As 'nthe case of the tapes 11 and 12 carrying the respective groups ofcooperating fasteners 13 and 14 described in detail above,

the cooperating fasteners 13' and 14 are sub- 1y, while thecorresponding tape 12" carries the fasteners 14 comprising alternatelytheright and left hand fasteners 15 and 16", re-

spectively. Similarly, the fasteners 15, 16*,

15 and 16 are all identical and may be made from a single die in asingle stamping or equivalent operation. That is, these variousfasteners differ .from each other merely in their respective positionson the supporting tapes 11 and 12 when the latter are in as- "sembledrelation and from their being in upright or inverted position, dependingon which of the; fasteners are intended to be in upright or left hand,and which in reversed or right hand, position. I As in the case of theflexible fastener illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawing, I

, prefer that the fasteners 15, 16, 15 and 16", shall be attached totheir respective supporting tapes in the following, manner: The tapes'11 and 12 are preferably provided with the beaded edges 11 and 12",respectively; For cooperation with said beaded! edges the fasteners1.5", 16, 15 and 16", are

ed to fit over the beaded edges 11 and 12 of the correspondingsupporting tapes. The beaded portions 17 of the fasteners provideattaching means for attaching the fasteners to the correspondingsupporting tapes.

The fasteners 15, 16', 15 and 16", in addition to the beaded orequivalent attaching portions 17' already referred to. preferablycomprise the hook or looking portions 18, which are preferably integralwith and form extensions of the beaded or other attaching portions 17.For this purpose each interlocking or hook portion 18' may comprise. themain or shank portion 19 and the hook 20, all as clearly illustrated inFigs. 8 and 9 from an inspection of Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, thatthe hooks of successive fasteners on the same tape alternately point inopposite directions and that the hook portions of correspondingfastenerson the cooperating supporting tape likewise point in oppositedirections, so as to enable the hook portions of corresponding fastenerscarried by the respective cooperating supporting tapes to interlockunder the conditions now to be described. For facilitating theinterlocking operation, each hook 20' preferably enters into-the spaceor gap 21' adj acent the corresponding supporting tape; on the oppositeside of the tape from the side carrying the hook member 18 comprisingthe shank portion 19' and thehook 20. The

space 21 is so positioned and designed that it will firmly retain thehook 20 in the closed or interlocked position of the two supporting taes and the fasteners carried thereby.

or operating the flexible fasteners shown.

pass. The key or operating member 70 also ing into the spaces 8 definedbetween coop- Fig. 9 of the drawing into open position.

includes the, enclosed wedge-shaped member 76 to which the face walls 72and-7 3 may be suitably attached, as by soldering. The wedge-shapedmember 76 and the end walls 74 and 75 define between them the more orless arcuate channels 77 and 78 which meet in the common opening 79.

Attached to or forming a part of the wedgshaped member 7 6 is awedge-shaped member comprising a web portion 80 carrying the'flangeportions 81 and 82 which extend both above and below the plane of theweb portion-80 as shown more clearly in Fig. 11 of the drawing. Theflange portions 81 and '82 extend also above the upper edge 80 of theweb portion 80, all as shown more clearly in Fig. 10 of the drawing. Theflange members 81 and 82 terminate aboye the lower point of the webmember 80 so as to provide th openings or breaks 83'- and 84 to one sidean similar breaks to the other side of the web portion 80.

At 85 I have indicated a transverse d uble-pronged member which ispreferably apered downwardly and provided with two prongs or points soas to be capable of entererating fasteners and thus to disengage thehooks 20 of such cooperating fasteners from each other from the closedposition shown in The transverse double-pronged member 85,

. shown in detailed sections in Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawing, isprovided with two prongs or points 86 and 87 which join or meet in aportion 88 more clearly shown in Fig. 13'of.

the drawing. So that the action of the key or operating member andparticularly of the double-pronged transverse member 85 may befacilitated, I prefer'that the face portions of the member 85 shall beslightly concave, as indicated by reference characters '89 and 90 of thedrawing.

The operation of'the key or operating member 70 described in detailabove, in operating the flexible fastener shown in Figs: 8 and 9 of,

the drawing into and out of closed or locked position will besubstantially clear from the foregoing description and may be brieflysummarized as follows: Assuming that-the flexible fastener 10 is in theclosed position indicated at the lower portion of Fig. 8 and by Fig. 9of the drawing, and that it is desired to operate such fastener intoopen position, the key or operating member 70 is threaded onto t-hetwocooperating tape members 11' and 12 carrying the respective fasteners,and is thereupon moved downwardly n the position shown in Fig. 8 of thedrawmg. This causes the points of the prongs 86 and 87 to enter into therespective spaces 8 between the cooperating fasteners and thus to spreadsuch fasteners apart and disengage 'the hook portions 20 of suchcooperating fasteners from the beaded portions of the respectivesupporting tapes. The further operation of the key or operating member70 downwardly in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing bringsabout the separation of further pairs of cooperating fasteners until theflexible fastener 70 has been opened to the desired extent. Thisoperation is facilitated by means of the flange members 81 and 82 andthe channels defined between such flange members and the wedge-shapedmember 76.

In operating the fastener 10 into closed position, the reverse series ofoperations already described for opening the fastener is followed. Thatis, the key or operating member 70 is moved upwardly along the flexiblefastener 10' in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing; Thismovement, by reason of the guidance afforded by the wedge-shaped member7 6 and the web portion 80 and associated flanges 81 and 82, and theassociated transverse web portion 85, together with the Inn which theynow are into the closed position I shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing. Pairafter pair of fasteners is closed .by this operation, in a manner whichwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which thepresent invention relates.

The flexible fastener devices of the present invention are characterizedby their great simplicity, the ease and economy with which they'can bemanufactured and assembled, re-

quiring as they do merely a single die or equivalent device for stampingor otherwise shaping all of the fasteners. The flexible fastenmg devicesof the present invention are further characterized by their ease,convenience and certainty in operation, the long life and wear of such.fasteners, and the fact that theircheapness enables the same to beapplied to a wide variety of devices, such as shoes, corsets, dressesand other garments, as well as bags, pouches and other devices, forwhich a more expensive and complicated fastening device would not bepractically available. Other advantages of the present invention willreadily occur to those skilled in the art to which the same relates.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A flexible fastener comprising af-plurality of flexible supportingmembers, a plu-,.; rality of fasteners carried by each of saidmembers,vthe fasteners carried by one of said. flexible supportingmembers having hook portions ada ted to interlock withcorrespondinghooli ried by theother of said flexible supporting members,the hook portions of the fasteners carried by each of said flexiblesupporting members being alternately positioned on opposite sides of thecorresponding flexible supporting members and the corresponding hookportions of corresponding fasteners carried y the two flexiblesupporting members being opposed the-one to the other and pointed inopposite directions, and means associated with said flexible supportingmembers and the fasteners carried b the same normally tending by atorsional orce to cause the fasteners carriedby one of said flexiblesupporting members to become engaged with the fasteners carried by theother of said flexible supporting members. 7

2. A flexible fastener comprising a plura l ity .of flexible supportingmembers, a plurality of fasteners carried by each of said members, thefasteners carried by one of said flexible supporting members having hookportions adapted to interlock with corresponding hook portions of thefasteners carried by the other of said flexible supporting members, thehook portions of the fasteners carried by each of said'flexiblesupporting members being alternately positioned on opposite sides of thecorresponding flexible sup porting members and the corresponding hookportions of the corresponding fasteners carried by the twoflexiblesupporting members being opposed the one to the other andpointed in opposite directions, and means associatedxwith said flexiblesupporting members and the fasteners, carried by the same normallytending by a torsional force in one direction of its movementlongitudinally of said flexible supporting .members to cause theengagement, an in the opposite direction of its movement longitudinallyof said flexible portions of the fasteners car-' supporting members tocause the'disengagement, of the fasteners carried by one of saidflexible supporting members with respect to the fasteners carried b theother of said flexible supporting mem ers.

3. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, a plurality of fasteners carried by each of said members, 'thefasteners carried by one 'of' said flexible supporting members havinghook portions adapted to interlock with corresponding hook portions ofthe fasteners carried by the other of said flexible supporting members,the hook portions of the fasteners carried by each of said flexiblesupporting members being alternately positioned on opposite sides of thecorresponding flexible supporting members and the. corresponding hookportions of corresponding fasteners carried by the two flexiblesupporting members being opposed the one to the other and pointed inopposite directions, in combination with an operating member associatedwith said supporting members and the fasteners carried thereby andadapted in one direction of its movement longitudinally of said flexiblesup porting members to cause the engagement, and in the oppositedirection of its movement longitudinally of said flexible supportingmembers to cause the disengagement, of the fasteners carried by one ofsaid flexible supporting members with respect to the fasteners carried bthe other of said flexible supporting. mem ers.

4. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, and a plurality of hook fasteners carried b each of saidsupporting members, the hoo 'portions of successive fasteners on eachsupporting member being pointed alternately in opposite directions. v

5. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, and a plurality of hook fasteners carried by each of saidsupporting members, the hook portions in; of successive fasteners on,each supporting member being pointed alternately in opposite directionsand the hook portions of cooperating pairs of fasteners on thecooperating supporting members being likewise pointed in oppositedirections.

v 6. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, and a plurality. of hook fasteners carried by each of saidsupporting members, the hook p'sr- 12o tions off successive fasteners oneach supporting member being pointed alternately in opposite directions,in combination with an operating member associated with said supportingmembers and the fasteners carried 12;, thereby for operating saidflexible fastener into and out of closed position.

7. A flexible fastener comprising a lurality of flexible supportingmembers, an a plurality of hook fasteners carried by. each of no saidsupporting members, the hook portions of successive fasteners on eachsupporting member being pointed alternately in opposite directions andthe hook portions of cooperating pairs of fasteners on the cooperatingsupporting members being likewise pointed in opposite directions, incombination with an operating member associated with said supportingmembers and the fasteners carried thereby for operating said flexiblefastener into and out of closed position.

8. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, and a plurality of hook fasteners carried by each of saidsupporting members, the hook portions,

of successive fasteners on each supporting member being pointedalternately in opposite directions, in combination with an operatingmember associated with said supporting members and the fasteners carriedthereby and acting by torsional force for operating said flexiblefastener into and out of closed position. i

9. A flexible fastener comprising a plurality of flexible supportingmembers, and a plurality of hook fasteners carried by each of saidsupporting members, the hook portions of successive fasteners on eachsupport-. ing member being pointed alternately in opposite directionsand the hook portions of 00- operating pairs of fasteners on thecooperating supporting mem ers being likewise pointed in oppositedirections, in combination with an operating member associated with saidsupporting members and the fasteners carried thereby and acting bytorsional force for operating said flexible fastener into and out ofclosed position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this28th day of Jan.,1925.

NGEL STATHAM.

